Gunga Din

Tom Legg, found this lovely story:

A military intelligence interrogator was sentenced Tuesday to two months in prison after he admitted abusing an Afghan detainee who later died.

He admitted that he stood by as former Sgt. Selena M. Salcedo lifted a detainee known as Dilawar by his ear and as former Spc. Joshua R. Claus made another detainee roll around on the floor and kiss Walls' boots.

Walls also admitted to pushing Dilawar against a wall during the interrogation in which Salcedo abused him. Dilawar's death has led to charges against a number of service members.

Walls apologized for not stopping the other soldiers from abusing detainees and for assaulting Dilawar.

"I'm sorry because ... it was my duty to stop it and by not doing so I've embarrassed my unit, I've embarrassed the Army," Walls said in a soft voice. "It was humiliating. It was just wrong. I should have stopped it."

Salcedo, a military intelligence interrogator who worked with Walls at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, pleaded guilty to similar charges earlier this month. Salcedo, who tearfully apologized for her conduct, told a military judge that Walls was with her when she mistreated Dilawar and that Walls pushed Dilawar.

Salcedo will be demoted, given a letter of reprimand and ordered to forfeit $250 a month for four months.

Dilawar died in December 2002, the same month he was detained...

...The most serious charges in the case were levied against Pfc. Willie V. Brand, a reservist and military police officer, who initially was charged with Dilawar's death. A military jury convicted Brand last week of assault, maltreatment, maiming and making a false official statement. The same jury spared Brand jail time, instead ordering that he be reduced in rank and pay to a private, the Army's lowest rank.

Though I've beaten you and flayed you
Until you joined the God that made you
I'll barely be punished for it Gunga Din